"Gather ye rose-buds while ye may." Robert Herrick

Hello Friends!

Friends, Romans, countrymen...y'all. Foodies, gardeners, artists and collectors - let's gather together to share and possibly learn a thing or two in the mix.

Donna Baker

Thursday, October 23, 2014

Short-Legged Beasties

I love leaving my windows and doors open in spring and fall - let all the cool, fresh air in.

But, I don't like all the other things trying to get inside. Besides big, huge brown spiders all clambering to get in before the cold, this thing crawled up my leg last night while sitting at my computer. I thought, 'what in the world is that, an earthworm'? When I saw what it was, I screamed and tried to slap it off my leg, but with all those creepy, clingy legs, it just kept on coming.

I finally got it off and stepped on it. Almost gave me a heart attack but at least it didn't sting me. I have seen this species of centipede before, years ago, climbing a tree. It was over six inches long and as big around as a finger. I would have had a heart attack if that one had been crawling up my leg.

I wasn't as lucky with the red hornet this week that got me on my palm. Within an hour, my arm and hand looked like Popeye's.

Yes, that sting was two days of torture. I too have screened doors and windows, but somehow, the beasties crawl in. Not much bothers me, but big spiders, scorpions and centipedes. Oh, and large sharks.

Those creepy crawlies are so disrespectful!!! We have these dumb little lizards that wait in the sun by the door...waiting to come in. And I can never figure out why. There's nothing in here for them. Food, heat, or shelter.

They give me the heebie jeebies..I am not an unbrave girl..as you will see ..when watching The Knick:)

But finding things like these? Not my cup of tea. In Fl..little lizarsd are everywhere..so fast! Here we are under siege..asian ladybugs..every warm fall..a slew of them emerge all over QC and Ontario..They smell and they bite.

We have something similar in the Touraine region that I had never seen before having our country house. Great for Halloween, right? I've almost gotten used to spiders when they aren't too big, but the wicked, hairy (ours are hairy,too) centipedes make my blood freeze.

Oh Donna - everything does try to get in this time of the year...black hairy spiders are frequent visitors at my house. So sorry about your palm - those hornets are vicious - what a sting they pack. Hope you are doing better. Take care and watch for those creepy things...thank goodness it wasn't in your bed - Ugh!!

Grocery Bag Art

Rear of Rodin Museum in Paris

My gourd art

Donkey

Cherry pie

White peach salted caramel cake

Paris Ritz

Louvre Pic

The Del

Venus de Milo

Paris Church

Crow In Paris

You lookin' at me?

Wildfire

Where's the garden hose?

Teatime

I don't like hot tea.

I'm Runnin' Away

Thanksgiving

Out in the field

Snoopy and Woodstock

watching over the little one

My mockingbird study

About Me

We left Houston in 1983 and headed for the foothills of the Ozarks. Overnight, long lines, noise, pollution and intolerably slow and congested traffic gave way to quiet and solitude. I say this first because I've never lived in a quiet place before. Because of the aforementioned quiet, I can now identify many birds by their calls. Some bugs too. Did you know rabbits squeak and mice sing? At times, the wind blows through the tree branches causing them to rub together in nature's own cello concerto.
That summer in 1983, we built our house on a hill, in a clearing wreathed by oak, elm and hickory trees. If you walk out to the field, past the goldenrod and switchgrass, you can see purple hills. On our Peaceable Hill Farm we became stewards of the land - land once given by politicians to the great people of the Choctaw Nation...
It seems like a lifetime since that summer. My three children have since left the nest. I've lost family and many beloved pets - had triumphs and tragedies as have we all, as have we all...